Wakaan Music Festival’s sixth year in Arkansas built on its esteemed reputation, featuring heavy bass, deep dubstep, and serious tomfoolery. Despite the wet weather, the Wakaan family came together on Mulberry Mountain for an incredible weekend of memories.
The wet weather lasted the entire weekend, but it added to the experience. As campers set up on Thursday and ravers boogied inside the gates, a vibrant double rainbow stretched across the sky. Joy filled the air as attendees hooped and hollered, celebrating the sight — a sentimental beginning to the weekend ahead.
The Magic Of Music
Of The Trees headlined on October 1, while Liquid Stranger closed out the main stage the next two days. Experimental dubstep duo Truth took the main stage by storm on Friday for a sunset set. Then later that night, they packed the after-hours Chakra Stage with Deep Dark and Dangerous vibes.
TVBOO and Jantsen also teamed up for a surprise B2B while Getter rushed to the mountain following travel delays. Once there, his set rocked the crowd with EDM classics and headbanger anthems. On Saturday, WonkyWilla brought his galactic circus energy to Mulberry Mountain with incredible genre fusion and immersive visuals. Canabliss filled a surprise guest slot on the Chakra Stage with magical energy that complemented her sound.
Liquid Stranger’s music selection stretched to every corner of his catalog, from throwbacks to new tracks and Wakaan label staples. He described his October 2 party set as a “look forward,” highlighting future releases while playing out the oldest and most popular Wakaan bangers. Opening with a funky unreleased ID built for bouncing, Liquid Stranger started spectacularly and only got crazier as he played.
Liquid Stranger’s second set on October 3 honed in on the “spaghettifying” energy of his DJ flow, giving the people exactly what they wanted. Beginning beautifully with a downtempo remix of The Neighborhood’s “Sweater Weather,” he grounded the audience before blowing their minds. Riddled with unreleased IDs, club classics, and dubstep essentials, Liquid Stranger played something for everyone with his “tripped set.”
“This mountain is beautiful, and it bears fruits within all of us … I’m going to do a curveball and play a little bit of downtempo to open our hearts and take in what’s been happening at the mountain this week.” — Liquid Stranger
Throughout Of The Trees’ set, the soft rain created a memorable visual experience, complete with glitter lasers galore. Although the showers continued throughout the weekend, they only added to the mountain’s magic. His “Dolori” closeout deeply moved fans, and they rejoiced when he returned for a couple more tracks afterward. With his extra time, Of The Trees played his wildly popular track “Windhorse” before saying goodnight with an unreleased ID.
Leading up to Of The Trees’ headlining set on Day 1, experimental dubstep fans got more than their fill. Distinct Motive infused the crowd with incredibly high energy, boasting his signature sound and ability to stir movement amongst fans. EAZYBAKED followed up with an unforgettable set for their sixth year on the mountain.
During their set, Distinct Motive joined the stage to play out their newest collab, “What’s the motive?.” Through 2026, the three presented explosive B2B energy on the road, with collaborative shows gaining massive attention in the scene. This moment is sure to leave listeners hungry for more and curious about a Distinct Motive B2B EAZYBAKED show.
A Space For Expression
The stages weren’t the only place to find electrifying experiences last weekend. Wakaan’s artist activations fostered a space for creativity and self-expression on the Prism Stage. From a charity fashion show to the annual spaghetti-eating contest, wacky activities kept attendees busy throughout the mornings.
Glowiiscape‘s creation station sent ravers home with their own personalized Wakaan-inspired Fuggler Dolls, hats, and more. Festival Fairy Godmother helped the Wakaan fam stay loose for the bass-filled nights with morning yoga each day. Canabliss also hosted a tie-dye and Wakaandi event to create keepsakes and tradeables for Wakaan’s final night.
Speaking of keepsakes, a plethora of vendors set up shop with plenty of variety. Hand-crafted bags, jewelry, and clothes provided shoppers with the opportunity to memorialize their experience in the form of wearable art.
For art lovers, live painters dotted the festival grounds to create unique artwork throughout the weekend. Watching them work in real time provided an immersive art experience perfect for Wakaan’s vibe. From extraterrestrial aliens to magical forest creatures, the live art installations depicted imagery from weird to wonky and everything in between.
Until Next Year…
Wakaan Music Festival 2026 was one for the books. Overall, the lineup perfectly captured the spectrum of Wakaan’s sound, presenting new and old acts alike. Although certain Wakaan regulars didn’t appear on the lineup this year, brand-new acts had their shot and definitely delivered. Festival season is finally in full swing and Wakaan has cemented its place at the start of the fall season. If any of the names from this year’s lineup show up at your next festival, be sure to tune in. Until next time Wakaan fam, the mountain will be waiting to welcome us with open arms in 2027.
